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A serving of healthy nuts makes your food more satisfying and helps you stay full longer.

Nuts don’t always get the credit they deserve when it comes to healthy food, because they’re high in fat, but studies show that in moderation nuts don’t impact weight loss goals. In fact, they’re a great option for making your food more delicious and adding a dose of disease-fighting nutrients to your dishes.

Healthy nuts contribute to satiety, meaning that the healthy fats and fiber help you feel full. Combine nuts with satisfying potatoes, and you’ve got a satisfying meal that’s in line with your health goals. Studies show that potatoes also help stave off hunger better than other common side dishes. Potatoes and nuts can be part of a healthy weight loss program.

Need some help including healthy nuts and potatoes in your cooking? Try some of these recipes!

Combine filling sweet potatoes, healthy nuts, and plenty of good-for-you kale in a light and delicious dish. Healthy nuts like walnuts make this salad filling while helping to reduce blood cholesterol.

This is a filling dish packed with protein and healthy nuts. We talked about the benefits of peanuts above, and the peanut sauce in this dish delivers a moderate serving of peanuts on every plate. Image credit: Clean Eating.

This recipe only contains a small amount of pine nuts. You could double the healthy nuts in this recipe for even more healthy benefit and still only have a moderate amount of nuts on your plate. Image credit: Epi-Ventures.

Toss some extra pine nuts into this side dish, if you like, or serve it as-is. Best of all, you can save time by using your microwave instead of conventional oven, which makes for a quick, easy and flavorful meal.

Have you resolved to eat more meatless meals this year? We’ve got some healthy vegan recipes to keep you on track starring our favorite veggie: the potato!

More and more people are eating vegan or vegetarian meals in an effort to stay healthy, but if you’re not used to eating this way it can seem difficult and less than exciting. The trick to making plant-based food delicious is finding vegan recipes that are filling and easy to make without sacrificing healthiness.

A whole food vegan or vegetarian diet can be a lot healthier than the Standard American Diet, because you’re skipping the saturated animal fats in favor of healthy fruits and vegetables. And potatoes are a great way to make a vegetarian or vegan dish filling without sacrificing any of the health benefits! One filling, medium potato with the skin on has:

only 110 calories

0g fat, saturated fat, and trans fat

zero cholesterol and no sodium

4g of protein

8% of your daily fiber, which may help control body weight

Not too shabby for one little spud! On top of all that, potatoes are just plain delicious.

Beyond Vegan Recipes: Kitchen Essentials

You probably have most of the tools and ingredients that you need for these vegan recipes right in your kitchen. We want to set you up for success, so here’s a checklist of some food items and cooking tools that are handy for making vegan recipes:

Non-dairy milk – We recommend plain soy or almond milk, because both work well in place of dairy in any recipe that calls for cow’s milk.

Nutritional yeast – This is different from the yeast you use to make bread rise. Nutritional yeast is available online or in the bulk bin at health food stores, and it gives food a mellow, cheesy flavor.

Vegan margarine or coconut oil – Smart Balance Light and Earth Balance are good options for vegan margarines. If you’re using coconut oil, choose the refined sort, because it doesn’t have a coconut flavor

Flax meal – Ground flax seeds are a great source of omega 3s and work as a binder in place of eggs for baked goods and patties. 1 tablespoon flax + 1/4 cup water = 1 “egg”

Raw cashews – Raw cashews are the secret to creamy vegan sauces. You’ll want to soak them for 4-6 hours, then drain before blending to get the smoothest puree.

Blender or food processor – Sauces and soups come together quickly in the blender.

Crock pot – Set it and forget it for easy vegan recipes.

Rice cooker – This is optional, but you can use a rice cooker for cooking rice and other whole grains (like quinoa or barley). Unlike on the stove top, a rice cooker yields the perfect cooked grain every time.

10 Healthy Vegan Recipes for the New Year

Got your supplies in order? Here are 10 vegan recipes to get you started.

Another filling side dish, you can use any light-tasting oil like safflower in place of grapeseed, but the soaked raw cashews are one place where you should not skimp. Image credit: Edible Perspective.

Need a Halloween recipe that will encourage your kids to eat their veggies? This spooky bowl of mashed potatoes is just the thing.

Halloween recipes are usually all about the candy, but you can also make delicious healthy treats to celebrate this year. For this spooky spiderweb, a bowl of creamy mashed potatoes are your canvas, and you use shredded carrots, black olives, and dried rosemary to create the web and the spider.

You don’t have to make those delicate shredded carrots yourself. Check your grocery store’s produce section for a bag of already-shredded carrots. If you can’t find them, use a knife to julienne the carrots into the thinnest sticks that you can.

Halloween Recipe: Spooky Mashed Potato Spiderweb

1. Heap your mashed potatoes into a large bowl, then use a spoon to smooth them down. With a clean dish towel, wipe any potato from the sides of the bowl, so you have a clean canvas to start:

2. Use your carrots to build your web, like in the images below. Start by creating an X with your carrots, then add two more rows to create an asterisk. Finally, use the carrots to create a few circles connecting the lines of your web:

3. Make your spider. Slice about a 1/4″ piece off of the top of one of your olives, and slice the other olive in half lengthwise. One of the olive halves is going to be your spider body, and the small piece is its head. You can eat the other two pieces of olive. You deserve a snack after making that detailed web!

4. To give your spider its legs, very carefully press each piece of rosemary into the sides of the large half olive. Place the spider body and head on your web, and you’re all done!

Celiac disease affects one out of every 141 Americans. It’s different from a gluten allergy or intolerance. Celiac disease is actually a small intestine disorder that causes sufferers to be hypersensitive to gluten. For someone dealing with celiac disease, eating food with gluten can cause serious symptoms, like digestive problems, anemia, bone density loss, and numbness in the extremities.

Gluten can hide in unexpected places. People suffering from celiac disease need to avoid bread, pasta, and other obvious gluten-packed foods, but you also find gluten in surprising places like beer, malt vinegar, soy sauce, and even some salad dressings.

The good news is that there are lots of healthy, gluten free foods and gluten free recipe ideas out there!

You might also be surprised to learn that potatoes are a naturally gluten free food, which makes them a perfect addition to a healthy, gluten-free diet. They’re also naturally fat and cholesterol free, so you can eat those potatoes without an ounce of guilt!

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium high and saute the onion, garlic, and pepper until they begin to soften. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the potatoes and toppings. Bring to a boil, the reduce the heat to low and simmer with the pot partially covered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

2. Meanwhile, cook your PotatOHs in the microwave according to package directions. When they’re cool enough to handle, dice them into 1/2″ pieces.

3. Add the potatoes and cook for about 5 minutes more, until everything is heated through. Serve with your choice of gluten free toppings. Enjoy!

Need some after school easy dinners that are healthy too? Potatoes to the rescue!

The school year is full of feeding-the-family-challenges, isn’t it? You’ve got to pack healthy lunches and for kids and fix them energizing after school snacks, and in the evenings, somehow manage to get a hearty supper on the table. You and your kids need something quick, easy, and healthy at the end of a long day of work and school, and a healthy dose of potatoes fits the bill perfectly.

Baking potatoes in the oven can take 45 minutes to an hour, but our farm fresh PotatOH products cook in the microwave in just minutes. Not only do potatoes make quick work when it comes to meal preparation, they’re healthy. Potatoes contain healthy carbohydrates, which fuel muscle and brain function. And at just 110 calories, a medium skin-on potato packs a nutritional punch! It’s rich in potassium and vitamin C and has 2 grams of fiber to help keep you and your kids feeling full.

The best part about potatoes? Kids love ’em! Check out these easy dinners for after school or any busy evening.

Kids love taco night! To make this meal into an event, serve the filling in a big bowl with other toppings – like diced tomato, shredded lettuce, and sour cream – and let everyone make their own tacos right at the table.

Need some quick and easy back to school recipes? We’ve got healthy, tasty snack and packed lunch options that your kids will love.

It’s about time to send those kiddos back to school, and all of that learning sure works up an appetite. Do your little ones come home with a big appetite? Whether you’re looking for a snack or a filling lunch to pack potatoes can help keep your kids happy, healthy, and full of energy for those long days in school.

Potatoes get a bad rep, but they’re actually good for kids if you use healthy preparation methods like microwaving, baking, or even grilling. They’re packed full of healthy carbohydrates – the stuff that your brain needs to function. A medium skin-on potato also provides a healthy dose of nutrients like vitamin C and potassium to keep your kids healthy. It’s also got 2 grams of fiber, which helps your kids feel full longer, so they can focus on school and homework.

The best part? Potatoes make a nutritious addition to lunch or snack time that your kids will actually eat. Check out these back to school recipes for packed lunches and after school snacks!

Packed Potato Lunches

Packing your child’s lunch the night before can help you save time in the mornings. These are some easy lunch recipes that travel well.

Chili Lime Chicken Potato Tacos – To keep these from getting soggy, pack the filling and the taco shells separately, and let your child assemble them at lunch time. They’re lunch and an activity in one!

Cheese and Trees Potato Soup – When the weather starts to get cooler, send your kid to school with a thermos brimming with warm, hearty soup.

Bacon and Chive Potato Pancakes – You can pack these alone or in a container with greens. If you pack them solo, include some unsweetened applesauce for dipping to sneak in a serving of fruit.

Potato and Vegetable Stacks – These are a fun alternative to a sandwich that lets you sneak some healthy veggies into your kid’s lunch. Just pack extra dressing in a well-sealed container. You can use more of the Italian dressing from the recipe or try ranch.

After School Potato Snacks

The kids are always hungry when they come home from school. These simple recipes will tide them over until supper time.

Grilled Potato Dippers – Here’s a trade secret: if you don’t want to bust out the grill, you can skip that step and just microwave the potatoes before you slice ’em. Your kids will have so much fun with the dipping sauces, they’ll never notice the difference!

This back to school recipe makes a healthy school lunch snack with just a few minutes of prep work.

Many school lunch snacks that kids grab are not the healthiest: sugary snacks like cookies and candy might fill your kid up, but you’re in for a sugar crash and a tough evening. Next time your kids need a snack for lunch while at school, try this recipe starring sweet potatoes to satisfy that sweet tooth without so much processed sugar.

Sweet potatoes give your kids a dose of vitamins and fiber to boost their energy for long school days. One medium sweet potato gives your children 30 percent of their daily dose of vitamin C and 4 grams of filling dietary fiber to keep them full until supper time [source: Nutrition Data]. Not too shabby for one tasty orange spud!

These sweet potato bites are a little bit sweet, a little bit salty, and sure to be a hit with your kids. Think of them as a lighter version of potato skins!

Gluten in a salad? Yep! Those innocent croutons and bottled salad dressings often contain gluten ingredients, and that’s no good if you’re allergic or sensitive to gluten. We’ve got some easy, delicious gluten free summer salads to keep you eating healthy all summer long.

Here at Farm Fresh Direct, we love a big, hearty meal, but in the middle of a scorcher of a summer, sometimes a salad is just the thing to fill you up without heating up the house. Besides, who says a salad can’t be hearty?

Potatoes are the perfect addition to your summer salad to transform a bowl of greens into a filling dish. And the best part? Unlike croutons or bread sticks, potatoes are a naturally gluten free food. They’ve also got 8% of your daily fiber, and dietary fiber helps you feel full longer without so many extra calories.

2. Mediterranean Sun-Kissed Savory Salad

Filling potatoes tossed with fresh veggies and some tasty feta cheese? Yes, please! This salad is perfect for summertime, and all of the ingredients in this salad are naturally gluten free, and it’s filling enough to be a meal all on its own.

3. Three-Potato Salad with Arugula

Who says that gluten free eating has to be boring? This three-potato salad combines sweet potatoes, white potatoes, and purple potatoes to make a hearty party in your mouth. Serve it up on a bed of tangy arugula for a gluten free feast. Image Source: Fat Free Vegan Kitchen.

4. Sweet Potato & Kale Salad with Pineapple

Savory greens and sweet pineapple pair up perfectly with plenty of chopped sweet potato. You can eat this colorful, gluten free salad as a main dish or serve it as a side. It’s great alongside grilled chicken or a grilled portobello mushroom.

5. Warm Spinach Salad with Sweet Potato

Not crazy for kale? Eat your greens with this filling spinach salad instead. This is another recipe that calls for mustard. Most mustard is already gluten free, but if you want to be 100% sure, click here for a list of gluten free mustards. Image Source: Amandeleine.

6. Warm Honey Mustard Potato Salad with Green Beans

This salad features seasonal green beans tossed with potatoes in a sweet and tangy gluten free dressing. Serve this as a side dish with chicken, fish, or beef. See the note in the previous recipe about choosing a gluten free mustard.

Don’t think potatoes have a place in your weight loss plan? Choose the right recipes, and potatoes can be a healthy and important part of your diet.

You might worry that the carbs in potatoes could derail your weight loss goals, but according to the Mayo Clinic, losing weight is all about expending more calories than you eat. A medium potato is a naturally fat- and cholesterol-free food and at a measly 110 calories, it’s a natural choice for maintaining a healthy weight.

In fact, your body needs carbohydrates to fuel your brain and your muscles. Studies suggest that a diet that includes a healthy amount of carbs can even lead to more endurance in your workouts.

What does all of this mean? It means that potatoes can fuel your workout, as long as they’re part of an overall healthy meal. That doesn’t mean you have to eat these foods right before working out. Just incorporating them into your regular diet can help provide fuel for your muscles for a better workout.

Need some recipes to get you started? These healthy potato recipes are great choices to get energized for exercise.

Healthy Chili Lime Chicken Potato Tacos

This recipe has a nice balance of protein from the chicken, carbs from the potatoes and the taco shells, and a little bit of fat from reduced-fat cheese.

A loaded baked potato can be a heavy dish, or it can be a healthy, easy meal. It all depends on the toppings that you choose.

Sure, if you smother your potatoes in cheese, bacon, and butter that loaded baked potato can be pretty unhealthy, but there are lots of lighter options to pile onto those spuds. One medium baked potato with the skin on has just 110 calories and is naturally fat free. It’s also sodium- and cholesterol-free food that’s high in vitamin C and a good source of potassium.

Next time you need a quick, easy supper that’s healthy to boot grab yourself a potato and load ‘er up with some of these healthy toppings!

Pile on the protein, fiber, and the flavor! Sriracha is an Asian chili sauce that you you can find in the grocery aisle at most supermarkets. Don’t worry – if you can’t find Sriracha, we have you covered with a substitution.

Sweet potatoes are even great with more standard toppings. Check out this lightened up version using Greek yogurt, reduced fat cheese, black beans, and plenty of spices for a plate full of flavor without all of the fat and calories. Image Source: Skinny Taste

Why are hot dogs the only ones that get to be loaded up Chicago style? The recipe linked above is for topping a hot dog, but those same toppings are delicious on a baked potato. If this recipe makes you miss the dog, try adding a sliced veggie dog to keep things light. Image Source: The Paupered Chef

Looking for a little bit of spice? Top that spud with a heap of Indian-style curried cauliflower. This recipe calls for asafoetida, an Indian spice. If you can’t find it in the spice aisle, just use a pinch of garlic powder and a pinch of onion powder as a substitute. Image Source: Chef In You

Caramelized onions are a little bit different from just sauteed onions. Instead of frying them up fast and hot, you cook them slowly over low heat to bring out that onion’s natural sugars. Heap those onions onto your spud, then add half a cup of steamed broccoli and a dollop of Greek yogurt. Image Source: Simply Recipes

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Recent Comments

MJsays: "These recipes look great, but for the lazy person, I'm going to add my own. It is the stuffed baked potato.
Bake your potato until it is soft, using the oven or microwave.
Cut in half, and scoop out the middle and mash it. Add in about 1 teaspoon of prepared mustard and mash again. It should have a smoother texture. Stuff back into the potato shells. Sprinkle with paprika. If you are doing several, you may wish to re-heat. Voila. Totally simple. Now, I am going to experiment with adding nutritional yeast and soymilk, to see if it comes out a bit cheesy. So pleased to see these recipes."

PotatOHsays: "Susan: that's wonderful! Thank you for your insightful comment and we are so glad that you enjoyed our PotatOHs!"

Susan Hendersonsays: "I love your products. I am a Vegan and potatoes are a wonderful part of my diet. I also find that the growth and harvest of this healthy root crop is actually beneficial to the planet! I won a box of your potatoes last year and used them to the fullest. Thank you, Susan Henderson"

Dorian Shafersays: "I love potatoes & will never stop eating them. There great for lunch, i pop one in microwave. Baked are my ultimate favorite & yes i eat the skin. Red i don't peel for anything. There amazing by themselves. Potatoes are a great source of energy & great anytime !"